EAM Jaishankar meets German envoy Philipp Ackermann, lauds role in deepening strategic ties
New Delhi, July 29
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday bid farewell to German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann, appreciating his contribution to strengthening the India-Germany Strategic Partnership and wishing him success in his future assignments.
Sharing details of the meeting on X, EAM Jaishankar said, "Pleased to receive German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann for a farewell call-on."
He further wrote, "Appreciated his valuable contributions to the strengthening of India-German Strategic Partnership. Conveyed my best wishes for future endeavours."
This comes as India and Germany continue to strengthen cooperation across strategic, economic, technological and diplomatic sectors under their expanding bilateral partnership.
According to the official website of the German Missions in India, Ackermann studied art history and economics at the universities of Bonn, Heidelberg and Utrecht. He earned a doctorate in art history in 1993 before joining the German Foreign Service later that year.
Over the course of his diplomatic career, Ackermann has served in several key assignments, including postings in Rabat, Morocco, and at Germany's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
Between 2006 and 2007, he headed the German Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kunduz, Afghanistan.
He subsequently served as Political Counsellor at the German Embassy in New Delhi from 2007 to 2010, marking one of his earlier diplomatic assignments in India.
During his tenure in Berlin, Ackermann worked in the offices of former German Foreign Ministers Joschka Fischer and Frank-Walter Steinmeier between 2002 and 2006.
From 2010 to 2014, he served as Head of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Task Force at the Federal Foreign Office and also held the position of Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Ackermann later served as Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Washington from 2014 to 2016. Before assuming charge as Germany's Ambassador to India, he spent five years as Director General for Africa, Latin America, and the Near and Middle East at the Federal Foreign Office.
Earlier this month, in an exclusive interview with IANS, Philipp Ackermann said that India and Germany are working closely together in the renewable energy sector to create a more sustainable environment, and this relationship will deepen going forward.
He also highlighted the need for both Germany and India to diversify their energy sources amid the West Asia conflict, as it is important to reduce excessive dependence on the region to ensure energy security.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Germany is a reliable partner for India. They've been consistent with investments and technology transfers. But I hope our government also focuses on domestic manufacturing rather than just importing from them. 'Make in India' needs more push!
That part about renewable energy caught my eye - India and Germany collaborating on green energy is exactly what we need. Germany is a leader in solar and wind tech, and we have the scale. Win-win! 🍃
Diplomats come and go, but strategic partnerships are long-term. Ackermann's farewell is routine, but it's good that Jaishankar took time to personally acknowledge his work. Shows India values this relationship.
Very impressive CV - art history to diplomacy! It's refreshing to see someone with humanities background excel in foreign service. Germany and India share democratic values; hope this partnership brings more job opportunities for Indians too.
While diplomatic farewells are ceremonial, the substance lies in what's achieved. Germany-India ties in defense, trade, and tech have grown. But we need more German investment in Indian infrastructure and not just IT.
Ackermann's Afghanistan experience is interesting - he knows the region well. India-Germany partnership on energy diversification makes sense given West Asia tensions. Mutual respect
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.